¹ tc The shorter reading “Omega” (ὦ, w) has superior ms evidence ({א¹ A C 1611}) to the longer reading which includes “the beginning and the end” (ἀρχὴ καὶ τέλος or ἡ ἀρχὴ καὶ τὸ τέλος, arch kai telo" or Jh arch kai to telo"), found in א*^,2 1854 2050 2329 2351 Ï^A lat bo. There is little reason why a scribe would have deleted the words, but their clarifying value and the fact that they harmonize with 21:6 indicate that they are a secondary addition to the text.

² tn On this word BDAG 755 s.v. παντοκράτωρ states, “the Almighty, All-Powerful, Omnipotent (One) only of God…(ὁ) κύριος ὁ θεὸς ὁ π. …Rv 1:8; 4:8; 11:17; 15:3; 16:7; 21:22.”

³ tn Or “who is victorious”; traditionally, “who overcomes.” The pendent dative is allowed to stand in the English translation because it is characteristic of the author’s style in Revelation.

⁴ tn Or “grant.”

⁵ tn Or “stands.”

⁶ tc The omission of “my” (μου, mou) after “God” (θεοῦ, qeou) is well attested, supported by א A C and the Andreas of Caesarea group of Byzantine mss (Ï^A). Its addition in 1611, the Ï^K group, latt, and others, seems to be evidence of a purposeful conforming of the text to 3:2 and the four occurrences of “my God” (θεοῦ μου) in 3:12.

⁷ tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated due to differences between Greek and English style.

⁸ tn The phrase “the following” after “write” is supplied to clarify that what follows is the content of what is to be written.

⁹ tn Grk “These things says [the One]…” See the note on the phrase “this is the solemn pronouncement of” in 2:1.

sn The expression This is the solemn pronouncement of reflects an OT idiom. See the note on this phrase in 2:1.

¹⁰ tn Grk “a flame of fire.” The Greek term πυρός (puros) has been translated as an attributive genitive.

¹¹ tn The precise meaning of the term translated “polished bronze” (χαλκολιβάνῳ, calkolibanw), which appears no where else in Greek literature outside of the book of Revelation (see 1:15), is uncertain. Without question it is some sort of metal. BDAG 1076 s.v. χαλκολίβανον suggests “fine brass/bronze.” L&N 2.57 takes the word to refer to particularly valuable or fine bronze, but notes that the emphasis here and in Rev 1:15 is more on the lustrous quality of the metal.

¹² tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.

¹³ tn Or “sounds,” “voices.” It is not entirely clear what this refers to. BDAG 1071 s.v. φωνή 1 states, “In Rv we have ἀστραπαὶ καὶ φωναὶ καὶ βρονταί (cp. Ex 19:16) 4:5; 8:5; 11:19; 16:18 (are certain other sounds in nature thought of here in addition to thunder, as e.g. the roar of the storm?…).”

¹⁴ sn Some interpret the seven spirits of God as angelic beings, while others see them as a reference to the sevenfold ministry of the Holy Spirit.

¹⁵ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “now” to indicate the introduction of a new and somewhat different topic after the introduction of the four riders.

¹⁶ tn Or “murdered.” See the note on the word “butcher” in 6:4.

¹⁷ tn See the note on the word “servants” in 1:1.

¹⁸ tn The verb is pluperfect, but the force is simple past. See ExSyn 586.

¹⁹ tn Grk “they fell down on their faces.” BDAG 815 s.v. πίπτω 1.b.α.ב. has “fall down, throw oneself to the ground as a sign of devotion or humility, before high-ranking persons or divine beings.”

²⁰ tn Or “worship.” The word here is λατρεύω (latreuw).

²¹ tn Grk “will spread his tent over them,” normally an idiom for taking up residence with someone, but when combined with the preposition ἐπί (epi, “over”) the idea is one of extending protection or shelter (BDAG 929 s.v. σκηνόω).

²² sn An allusion to Isa 25:8.

²³ tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.

²⁴ tn The dative indirect object (αὐταῖς, autais) was converted into the subject (“they”) as this more closely approximates English usage. The following ἵ῞να (Jina) is taken as substantival, introducing a direct object clause. In this case, because it is reported speech, the ἵνα is similar to the declarative ὅτι (Joti).

²⁵ tn Grk “men”; but ἄνθρωπος (anqrwpo") is used in a generic sense here of both men and women.

²⁶ tn The article τῶν (twn) has been translated as a possessive pronoun here (ExSyn 215).

²⁷ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the vision.

²⁸ tc ‡ Several key mss (Ì⁴⁷ א¹ A 0207 1611 2053 2344 pc lat sy^h co) lack the word τεσσάρων (tessarwn, “four”) before κεράτων (keratwn, “horns”). The word seems to have been added by scribes because a “horned” altar (described in the OT [Exod 30:2, 10]) could have only four “horns” or projections at the corners. NA²⁷ includes the word in brackets, indicating doubts as to its authenticity.

²⁹ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence within the narrative.

³⁰ tn Grk “a reed” (but these were used for measuring). Cf. Ezek 40:3ff.

³¹ tn Grk “saying.”

³² tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “but” to indicate the contrast present in this context.

³³ tn Grk “fell upon.”

³⁴ tn Grk “saying.”

³⁵ tn On this word BDAG 755 s.v. παντοκράτωρ states, “the Almighty, All-Powerful, Omnipotent (One) only of God…(ὁ) κύριος ὁ θεὸς ὁ π. …Rv 1:8; 4:8; 11:17; 15:3; 16:7; 21:22.”

³⁶ tn The aorist verb ἐβασίλευσας (ebasileusa") has been translated ingressively.

³⁷ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the conclusion of the anticipated birth.

³⁸ tn On this term BDAG 135 s.v. ἄρσην states: “male…The neut. ἄρσεν Rv 12:5, difft. vs. 13, comes fr. Is 66:7 and is in apposition to υἱόν. On the juxtaposition s. FBoll, ZNW 15, 1914, 253; BOlsson, Glotta 23, ’34, 112.”

³⁹ tn Grk “shepherd.”

⁴⁰ tn Or “all the Gentiles” (the same Greek word may be translated “Gentiles” or “nations”).

⁴¹ tn Or “scepter.” The Greek term ῥάβδος (rJabdo") can mean either “rod” or “scepter.”

sn An allusion to Ps 2:9 (see also Rev 2:27; 19:15).

⁴² tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.

⁴³ tn Grk “and the woman,” which would be somewhat redundant in English.

⁴⁴ tn Or “desert.”

⁴⁵ tn Grk “where she has there a place prepared by God.”

⁴⁶ tn Grk “so they can take care of her.”

⁴⁷ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the vision.

⁴⁸ tn Or “anger.”

⁴⁹ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the vision.

⁵⁰ tn Grk “the altar saying.”

⁵¹ tn On this word BDAG 755 s.v. παντοκράτωρ states, “the Almighty, All-Powerful, Omnipotent (One) only of God…(ὁ) κύριος ὁ θεὸς ὁ π. …Rv 1:8; 4:8; 11:17; 15:3; 16:7; 21:22.”

⁵² tn BDAG 699 s.v. οἰκουμένη 1 states, “the inhabited earth, the world…ὅλη ἡ οἰκ. the whole inhabited earth…Mt 24:14; Ac 11:28; Rv 3:10; 16:14.”

⁵³ tn On this word BDAG 755 s.v. παντοκράτωρ states, “the Almighty, All-Powerful, Omnipotent (One) only of God…(ὁ) κύριος ὁ θεὸς ὁ π. …Rv 1:8; 4:8; 11:17; 15:3; 16:7; 21:22.”

⁵⁴ tn Here BDAG 988 s.v. ταλαντιαῖος states, “weighing a talent…χάλαζα μεγάλη ὡς ταλαντιαία a severe hailstorm with hailstones weighing a talent (the talent=125 librae, or Roman pounds of c. 343 gr. or 12 ounces each) (weighing about a hundred pounds NRSV) Rv 16:21.” This means each hailstone would weigh just under 100 pounds or 40 kilograms.

⁵⁵ tn Or “the sky.” Due to the apocalyptic nature of this book, it is probably best to leave the translation as “from heaven,” since God is ultimately the source of the judgment.

⁵⁶ tn Grk “on men,” but ἄνθρωπος (anqrwpo") is used here in a generic sense to refer to people in general (the hailstones did not single out adult males, but would have also fallen on women and children).

⁵⁷ tn Grk “the men”; for stylistic reasons the pronoun “they” is used here.

⁵⁸ tn Grk “the plague of it.”

⁵⁹ tn Grk “since the plague of it was exceedingly great.”

⁶⁰ tn Grk “creatures fell down.” BDAG 815 s.v. πίπτω 1.b.α.ב. has “fall down, throw oneself to the ground as a sign of devotion or humility, before high-ranking persons or divine beings.”

⁶¹ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence within the narrative.

⁶² tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence within the narrative.

⁶³ tn Grk “he”; the referent (the angel) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

⁶⁴ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence within the narrative.

⁶⁵ tn The precise significance of ἐν (en) here is difficult to determine.

⁶⁶ tn On μεσουρανήματι (mesouranhmati) here see L&N 1.10: “high in the sky, midpoint in the sky, directly overhead, straight above in the sky.” The birds mentioned here are carrion birds like vultures, circling high overhead, and now being summoned to feast on the corpses.

⁶⁷ tn This is the same Greek word (δεῖπνον, deipnon) used in 19:9.

⁶⁸ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the implied result of the angel’s invitation.

⁶⁹ tn Or “in the spirit.” “Spirit” could refer either to the Holy Spirit or the human spirit, but in either case John was in “a state of spiritual exaltation best described as a trance” (R. H. Mounce, Revelation [NICNT], 75).

⁷⁰ tn Grk “to a mountain great and high.”

⁷¹ tn Grk “from God, having the glory of God.” Here a new sentence was started in the translation by supplying the words “the city” to refer back to the previous clause and translating the participle (“having”) as a finite verb.

⁷² tn On the term ἰάσπιδι (iaspidi) BDAG 465 s.v. ἴασπις states, “jasper, a precious stone found in various colors, mostly reddish, somet. green…brown, blue, yellow, and white. In antiquity the name was not limited to the variety of quartz now called jasper, but could designate any opaque precious stone. Rv 21:18f. W. λίθος 4:3 (TestSol C 11:8). λίθος ἴασπις κρυσταλλίζων a stone of crystal-clear jasper 21:11 (cp. Is 54:12); perh. the opal is meant here; acc. to some, the diamond.”

⁷³ tn Grk “written.”